Grass Roots no 208 Dec/Jan 2011/12

EAT YOUR GAREN

Organic Gardening for Home and Schools Leonie Shanahan

‘If they grow it, they’ll eat it”, is Shanahan’s motto. She knows what she’s talking about – Shanahan has set up over 15 schools with edible gardens and runs a permakids garden workshop.

This useful book is geared towards warmer climates and combines permaculture and organic gardening basics. It is structured into lesson plans with worksheets and step by step photos for projects around the garden.

Topics covered include the full cycle from seed planting to seed saving, making a herb spiral and other theme gardens, the intricacies of compost, worm pipes and lots more.

There’s also a monthly guide to suitable jobs for kids to do in the garden. Lots of bright colour photos illustrate the ideas. After your children read this, you pretty much retire in a deckchair with a gin and tonic and watch the produce flow in!